NEETBotanyPhotosynthesis in Higher Plants
How is the proton gradient broken down in chemiosmosis?
Options
- ABy the movement of electrons
- BBy the movement of protons across the membrane to the stroma
- CBy the production of NADPH
- DBy the synthesis of glucose
Correct answer
B. By the movement of protons across the membrane to the stroma
Step-by-step solution
Within the chloroplast, protons in the stroma decrease in number, while in the lumen there is accumulation of protons. This creates a proton gradient across the thylakoid membrane as well as a measurable decrease in pH in the lumen. Why are we so interested in the proton gradient? This gradient is important because it is the breakdown of this gradient that leads to the synthesis of ATP. The gradient is broken down due to the movement of protons across the membrane to the stroma through the transmembrane channel of